Rating: 
Summary: Good
Review: Lots of good stuff. Some you'll have read in other books, but that's not a negative if such info is presented in a new way, as it is here. I do think the choices of AOL and Hotmail as fast company examples were dumb choices, since Hotmail never actually turned a profit, it just grew to become an enticing buy for Microsoft, which is when the owners cashed in. AOL's troubled history is famous enough I need not repeat it here. But the other companies chosen (Charles Schwab, Clear Channel, among others) as examples are "legitimate" companies, aiming for profit and succeeding while growing quickly. And it's because of those examples I recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fast and Smart
Review: Simple and to the point, this book challenged all my old entrenched ideas of what a business should look like and how it should act. It is a fast read and and a smart read.
Rating:
Summary: Some flaws, but overall a good value
Review: There is an old story about the two fellows who went lion hunting in Africa. They searched for days to no avail, then suddenly-right in front of them-was a huge lion!
The lion saw them, too, and thought, "lunch!" One of the men reached into his knapsack, retrieved his running shoes, and began putting them on. His friend, incredulous, mocked, "You'll never outrun that lion." The first man responded, "I don't have to outrun the lion; I just have to outrun you!"The speed of business has increased, along with the speed of change. Today, and in the years ahead, the prizes will go to the companies that anticipate the trends, then move most quickly and wisely to put themselves in the right place at the right time. Those firms that allow any employee-at any level-to tie them to tradition or to get in the way of progress risk extinction. Given the title, we'd expect to find the secrets in the pages of this book. Readers will find quite a few tips, some great lessons, snappy writing, and valuable summary lists at the end of each chapter. There's a lot of good content here, but also some annoying redundancy. This well-organized book moves steadily and deliberately through a collection of strategies that stimulate thinking and action. A number of examples are offered to illustrate fast movement and not-fast-enough movement. Many of the anecdotes and case studies come from the same companies, which is both good and bad. We see deeper into these companies, but miss the opportunity to appreciate the strategies and actions of a wider range of organizations. Hearing about the same companies over and over again made me wonder if the authors had investigated any other examples. The sameness got old. Toward the end of the book, the reader may sense some repetition, as if the authors forgot they had mentioned these things or were looking for filler to complete the manuscript at the end of their writing process. I sensed some redundancy in the main body of the book, but as the manuscript drew to a close I almost lost interest because I was reading words I'd already read. There's a lot of good content in this volume, so I'll still recommend it. Look for the tips, the advice, and the strategies that will inspire you to make notes, turn down pages, and highlight various sections. While the book wasn't 100% for me, there are a lot of valuable and thought-provoking lessons in these pages. Many of the ideas and observations are sufficiently thought-provoking to stimulate change in the way you do things, particularly if you perceive yourself to be in a competitive environment. This review refers to the hardcover edition.
Rating: 
Summary: A Metaphor for Business, Life and Success
Review: This book defines those characteristics that separate "the best" from "the rest." In five case studies, the authors clearly and effectively demonstrate how speed--more than capital, ambition, vision, planning and great thinking--can build and maintain business models that outperform and outlast others. To be a speed player, you have to know how to spot trends, make decisions quickly and launch a crusade. Jason and Larry have written the manual on gaining the ultimate competitive edge.
Rating: 
Summary: Ridiculous restatement of basic business practices!
Review: This book fails to live up to its hype. Within the first few pages, it becomes apparent that the authors are merely restating obvious principles of basic business practices as they tell you to look for new trends, search out new markets, observe what is happening around you, etc. Perhaps the most ludicrous example is contained on page 34 where they recommend that you go out and hire some gay employees and advisors, and if you are uncomfortable with that concept, seek out psychiatric help to find out why you feel that way. This is a lifestyle/political statement that has no place whatsoever in a book touted as being the key to business success. This book is little more than pablum for the average business person and certainly isn't worth what it costs.
Rating:
Summary: Finally...a real roadmap
Review: This book has been a long time coming. It shows that companies that operate using similiar techniques and market strategies can achieve incredible success, no matter the industry they operate in. If you are a captain of industry...read this book, implement what it says, and profit from it. If not...be very afraid... because your competiton is reading it and is about to pass you by.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This book is a first-rate and accessible book on what makes the fastest growing companies run. You do have to take on faith a lot that their conclusions are the correct ones, but they seem to have put a lot of study into it, so it is almost certainly worthy information. If you've read a lot of management/business books, you'll see a lot here that you've read before. But you will also read new ideas. The authors are self-deprecating, admitting that they thought their studies would produce different results, and relating the results they DID find, that gives you confidence that they were not superimposing theories on what they observed, but observed things objectively. So I highly recommend this book, as it could literally be worth a billion dollars to you!
Rating:
Summary: Very Insightful
Review: This book is full of interesting commentary and true to life stories about some of the fastest and best run companies in the world. Interesting to note that as quickly as each of these companies grew, they are still booming even after the internet bubble has burst. Jennings and Haughton dug deep into the minds of these inspirational leaders, and were able to relate their thoughts to anybody who wants to run a "fast" business today.
Rating:
Summary: Good Overview of Thinking and Decision Processes for Speed!
Review: This book is the best one I have read to date on helping a company accelerate its ability to move ahead of the competition by being better at sensing the environment and reacting to it. Those who are interested in checking their organizations for stalled thinking in this regard will find a useful list of areas to investigate and improve. "Do more with less and do it faster." That's the mantra that the authors have investigated through their case histories of Charles Schwab, Clear Channel Communications, America On Line, H&M (clothing stores), Hotmail, Telepizza (European home delivery pizza chain), and Lend Lease (Australian company). The book is organized into four sections: Fast thinking; fast decisions; get to market faster; and sustaining speed. Each one contains a number of key points, with subpoint details to further elaborate. Here's how Fast Thinking is organized: "Speed . . . without a destination in mind, is haste." The focus of this section is on creating improvements in your business model or new business models. The key sections under the heading are to anticipate; spot trends; put ideas through a thorough testing process to probe for their downside weaknesses; and being sure that the best idea wins by changing the company environment. Each of these sections is illustrated with examples from the companies that were studied and more detail on the key elements. In this example, you should see the potential weakness of the book. It correctly points you toward spotting trends, but cannot possibly teach you what you need to know in just a few pages. So you will want to expand on the points here by reading other books that deal with these areas in more depth. In essence, the book then is an outline of the business processes you need for innovation in business models, choosing the right ones, getting them implemented well, and staying agile. The primary metaphor is to Wayne Gretzky, who was famous for his ability to anticipate where the puck would go next . . . and to aim for that spot. If you can determine what is "likely to occur in the next few months and the next few years [that] is enough to give you an edge . . . ." While I have not studied all of these companies, what was said about the ones that I know well was certain accurate and full of insight. I assume the rest was done equally as well. Many of the conclusions are similar to my own work on irresistible forces. Of the four sections, I thought that the first section on fast thinking had the most original material, and will be the most valuable for many companies. If you have problems with fast decisions and getting to market fast, you may find it hard to change very quickly. But if you are already in pretty good there, the first section can increase the flow of good new ideas for you to consider. Many CEOs tell me that this is a limitation for them. I do have some concerns. If everyone organizes for speed, how sustainable will that be? Perhaps it would be better to organize to grasp advantages that then become unavailable to others. Also, what is it going to be like to work for a company like this? What is your family life going to be like? For readers who are interested in these questions, I suggest you read Professor Robert Reich's new book, The Future of Success. It has many thought-provoking ideas on this subject. After you have organized for maximum speed that makes sense for your business and the personal lives of those involved, I suggest that you consider how the experience can be made much less demanding on everyone. That's the area where the most innovation is needed. May you make rapid progress towards worthwhile goals . . . and have time to smell the roses along the way!
Rating:
Summary: Retitle this book to: How to Lose Credibility in Business
Review: This book lacked any new insight into business. At times it was completely ridiculous. The authors presented little regarding the basic rules of business and filled the remaining pages with nonsense. How anyone can read this book and believe that they can improve their day to day business operations is a bigger fool than the authors.
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